Looking for a headphone amp with 4 stereo ins

[luts]

Hi there,

I can certainly find a multitude of HP amps with 2 stereo inputs however I'm drawing a complete blank finding a headphone amp with 4 stereo inputs available.

I would have thought these would be commonplace as plenty of studio owners would want at least 4 independent headphone sends.

Am I missing something here?

Or, do people just buy multiple units with two stereo inputs each?

cheers

[Sam Inglis]

How many headphone outputs do you need?

[Sam Spoons]

The Behringer HA4400 has 4 x stereo aux inputs on the front panel which can be mixed with the main signal but the balance control allows just the aux to be heard. It also has 3 headphone outputs per channel.

[trunkdog]

I too am looking at (4) stereo cues but would ultimately prefer the output be placed in the hands of the artist.

So Sam, relating to one of my previous post…

I could:
• Set individual stereo mixes in the Saffire MixControl
• Output these L/R on the Pro 40 analog output pairs (3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10) to individual Behringer XEYNX 502's using Line In's 2/3 or 4/5

Then the artist has a stereo mix he/she can adjust Pan and Volume. EQ only with 502 input 1? How do I get a stereo mix on XENYX 502 Line 1 from the two (L/R) Saffire MixControl mixer analog output pairs?

I suppose I should just be in the studio "pushing buttons" rather than typing!

Hope I haven't highjacked a thread.

[wired4sound]

I would like to have 6-8 headphone outputs and atleast 4 stereo inputs for 4 seperate headphone mixes.

I'm completely gobsmacked they aren't everywhere.

I would have thought anyone running a studio would want one.

What's the point of having fancy mix control software that is capable of numerous individual cue mixes without a headphone amp to individually send off atleast 4 mixes?

I thought the whole point of having this fancy cue software was to give you this exact level of control.

Seems logical to have boxes that can handle it... currently I can use outputs 3-10 (that's 4 stereo mixes) for cue mixes. Why wouldn't you want to have the capacity to amplify those mixes separately?

Maybe people just buy multiple boxes with 2 stereo inputs.

5-10 minutes of googling has turned up boxes with a max of 2 stereo inputs.

What do studio use these days?

[Sam Inglis]

Maybe people just buy multiple boxes with 2 stereo inputs.

That would make sense to me. If I wanted more than four musicians to be on headphones at once it'd probably be more convenient not to have them all connected to the same box!

[wired4sound]

Sam, I would have thought that having one box to handle 4 cue mixes is precisely the most convenient way to handle it.

How could having 2 separate boxes be any more convenient?

The box I envisage would have 4 stereo inputs (preferably 8!), 8 stereo outputs, on the back panel.

On the front panel.. 8 separate headphone amps with headphone output jack and the ability to select on each amp either mix 1,2,3,or 4.

That way I have 4 separate sends to share amongst eight sets of headphones.

I'd actually prefer 8 sends of cue mixes to be honest.

The stereo outs on the back would be sent through the wall box to be accessed in the music room.

The headphone outputs on the front would be used so I can audition each cue mix on my own set of headphones.

Now.. where do I find that solution? and.. why isn't everyone using something like that?

[Sam Spoons]

Like I said the HA4400 has stereo inputs on each of four headphone channels. each of which can feed two stereo headphones from the rear panel and one more from the front giving you four completely independent stereo headphone mixes. I suspect doing the same with eight headphone amps would take up more panel real estate than a 1U box can provide so if you have to use 2U of rack space it's just as easy to do it with two 1U boxes, and if one fails you only lose half your monitor feeds.... I distribute my cue feeds around the room at speaker level so all the amps live in the rack adjacent to the desk.

[James Perrett]

Sam, I would have thought that having one box to handle 4 cue mixes is precisely the most convenient way to handle it.

The musicians could be far apart in the same room or even in separate rooms so a box close to each musician would probably work best.

[Sam Spoons]

I too am looking at (4) stereo cues but would ultimately prefer the output be placed in the hands of the artist.

So Sam, relating to one of my previous post…

I could:
• Set individual stereo mixes in the Saffire MixControl
• Output these L/R on the Pro 40 analog output pairs (3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10) to individual Behringer XEYNX 502's using Line In's 2/3 or 4/5

Then the artist has a stereo mix he/she can adjust Pan and Volume. EQ only with 502 input 1? How do I get a stereo mix on XENYX 502 Line 1 from the two (L/R) Saffire MixControl mixer analog output pairs?

I suppose I should just be in the studio "pushing buttons" rather than typing!

Hope I haven't highjacked a thread.

I'm not sure I see any benefit providing the talent with control over pan and basic eq. I'd either give them control over their individual mix using something like Berry's P16 system or a wireless app on phone or tablet. Failing that just a simple volume control (or nothing TBH which is what I do).

But if you feel you must do it then you can't do what you want with the 502, you can have stereo with pan and volume or mono with eq added but not stereo with eq......

[Dave B]

Such an item exists, is cheap and I've been using one regularly (humping it around in a case) for a couple of years now :

https://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_hp_4.htm

I am surprised that more boxes don't work this way - it's brilliant. It's basically 4 stereo inputs and 4 headphone amps with selectable inputs for each amp. So if a pot fails, you can repatch on the front and select the input without scrabbling around the back. Takes both a stereo and a mono feed. We use it live for 2 in ear monitors (wired) and the mono click feed for the drummers headphones. And it's so cheap that it makes sense to buy a second one as a backup in case anything goes wrong on the primary.

Which is nice.

[resistorman]

Such an item exists, is cheap and I've been using one regularly (humping it around in a case) for a couple of years now :

https://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_hp_4.htm

I am surprised that more boxes don't work this way - it's brilliant. It's basically 4 stereo inputs and 4 headphone amps with selectable inputs for each amp. So if a pot fails, you can repatch on the front and select the input without scrabbling around the back. Takes both a stereo and a mono feed. We use it live for 2 in ear monitors (wired) and the mono click feed for the drummers headphones. And it's so cheap that it makes sense to buy a second one as a backup in case anything goes wrong on the primary.

Which is nice.

Wow, that IS cheap, yet practical! I suppose if you want more elaborate setups you'd have to go for the digital individual mix units.

[ef37a]

Surely that is called a "mixer"?

I have a Wharfedale mixer, fits on the palm of your hand and has 4 stereo line inputs and 2 mic/line inputs plus the usual TAPE/CD bejazzle. Also has headphone out on 1/4" and 3.5mm jack.
Called an 'EZ-m 16: 2 mini mixer". Got it years ago from PMT Npton, about 30quid.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wharfedale-EZ- ... B00F1B7LGE

Piccy but no stock.

Dave.

[Watchmaker]

Such an item exists, is cheap and I've been using one regularly (humping it around in a case) for a couple of years now :

https://www.thomann.de/gb/millenium_hp_4.htm

I am surprised that more boxes don't work this way - it's brilliant. It's basically 4 stereo inputs and 4 headphone amps with selectable inputs for each amp. So if a pot fails, you can repatch on the front and select the input without scrabbling around the back. Takes both a stereo and a mono feed. We use it live for 2 in ear monitors (wired) and the mono click feed for the drummers headphones. And it's so cheap that it makes sense to buy a second one as a backup in case anything goes wrong on the primary.

Which is nice.

This is worth the price even if it sounds like poo!

[Music Wolf]

I've got one. It sounds fine for tracking.

[The Elf]

Also look at this:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/samson_sphone.htm

Mono/stereo switchable, hi/low EQ and individual volume controls for the four main outputs.

It's essentially identical to the Behringer, but more reliable IME.

[Sam Inglis]

Sam, I would have thought that having one box to handle 4 cue mixes is precisely the most convenient way to handle it.

The musicians could be far apart in the same room or even in separate rooms so a box close to each musician would probably work best.

Yes, exactly. I shudder to think of the cable tangles that would happen if you had eight musicians all connected to one box!

[Hugh Robjohns]

The stereo outs on the back would be sent through the wall box to be accessed in the music room.

I would urge some caution with this idea. Headphone signals are unbalanced and relatively high level, which means a greater likelihood of crosstalk between channels of a snake running between studio and control room. Hopefully you won't have a problem, but it would be worth checking for crosstalk problems before starting a recording session!

H

[Sam Spoons]

Also look at this:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/samson_sphone.htm

Mono/stereo switchable, hi/low EQ and individual volume controls for the four main outputs.

It's essentially identical to the Behringer, but more reliable IME.

I wonder if Samson stole the design off Behringer

I have had no issues with my Berry HA. I know a sample of one is meaningless but I haven't seen anything posted on the 'net regarding it's unreliability.

[The Elf]

Also look at this:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/samson_sphone.htm

Mono/stereo switchable, hi/low EQ and individual volume controls for the four main outputs.

It's essentially identical to the Behringer, but more reliable IME.

I wonder if Samson stole the design off Behringer

I have had no issues with my Berry HA. I know a sample of one is meaningless but I haven't seen anything posted on the 'net regarding it's unreliability.

I've had two Behringers fail at 'the other place' and I replaced them with Samson, which have been trustworthy. Back at base I have a Behringer HA4700 that's been rock-solid too.

[Sam Spoons]

I suppose that if you buy cheap stuff (as we sometimes have to) then some are going to fail. The PA company I used to do a lot of work with had several Crown power amps, the 'Pro' stuff was more or less bulletproof but the 2 x Xti amps both failed just out of warrantee. I also had 2 x Crown Xti power amps, both mine failed in a similar timescale, fortunately one had been bought from a dealer and was repaired FOC but the other cost me. So that was a 100% fail rate for Crown Xti Power amps down here this side of sunny Manchester (and I don't think they were classed as 'cheap stuff')......

I've been very impressed with my Alto Truesonic powered speakers but was a little concerned when shufflebeat (late of this parish) reported a couple of dead ones in his inventory. A couple of months ago one of the two I own died........

[wired4sound]

Thanks for all the great replies.

What a great forum.

I'll checkout the aforementioned boxes.

[wired4sound]

... and I could swear I posted a reply a few hours ago on my phone and it has disappeared into ether.

It doesnt show up in the forum at all.

Anyone else had that issue?

[zenguitar]

Anyone else had that issue?

Many of us have thought we've had that issue, but then we discover we clicked (or tapped) the wrong button

Andy

[ef37a]

... and I could swear I posted a reply a few hours ago on my phone and it has disappeared into ether.

It doesnt show up in the forum at all.

Anyone else had that issue?

YES! Not as often since the re-vamp but maybe once a month. Now it COULD be 'finger trouble' but I post at least as much on two other forums and it has only happened there very rarely, in fact I cannot recall the last time. In any case at least one of the other forums has auto save but apparently this is not practical for SoS?

BTW this is posting from a laptop.

Dave.